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It’s been far too long. I feel like sometimes I don’t have anything to write, since nothing major has changed in my life, and each day seems to just roll right into the next without any excitement. Well so what! I need to embrace each day with a fresh pair of eyes, and let the little things bring me joy, rather than waiting and anticipating and stressing over some major change that may not actually be in my cards.

So what little things have made me happy recently? Breaking out the flip flops for the first time in what seems like forever. Feeling the warm breeze and sand between my toes. Driving to Cardiff to sit on the most amazing beach all by myself, with only my thoughts and the sound of the ocean waves – the most amazing and comforting solitude I could ever ask for. As it starts to warm up again in San Diego, I find myself longing to re-learn to surf, and to surf the right way (no offense MBAC). Finding the most amazing little coffee shop in Oceanside that just feels like home, and is worth the insane drive for the cozy feeling it gives me.

Team in Training season starts again in one week and I slept in for my last Saturday until July (who am I kidding? I haven’t slept in on a Saturday in ages). Sleeping in actually ended up being waking up before my alarm, and having to settle with sleeping in until 9am. It’s better than 545am! The beginning of the season brings a whole cornucopia of feelings – excited to be getting back to the green team, to familiar faces, to the joys of running and experiencing new parts of San Diego, to getting teary eyed at every session when someone shares their story of why they are committed to raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; on the other side, I am completely terrified. After having stress fractures last season and not being able to complete the marathon was a huge let down for me. I was devastated because I had put so much into it, physically, mentally and emotionally. I’m terrified that I will get hurt again. I will jog slowly at first to start things off and once I start feeling good again, I will get re-injured. I am overly cautious and am running with fear instead of joy. I’m hoping my next bone scan will show that my legs are completely healed so that I can run freely again!

This past weekend was great. Flew home Friday morning for a weekend full of family and birthday celebrations. Adrienne and her mom picked me up from the airport and we had an amazing pancake breakfast (I’ve been craving blueberry pancakes for about a week!) and then they dropped me back at the airport to wait for some of the Varella’s to arrive. Met up with Adam, Chantel and Uncle John and drove to Fairfield. HELLO RAIN! When I left San Diego, it was gorgeous. I pull up in Sacramento and it’s grey, gloomy and rainy. Got into town around 4pm and the rest of the night was filled with catching up, and setting up for the party.

Saturday morning I woke up early and tried to do the 9 mile run that I would have been doing if I was at group session. That didn’t happen. My shins were ON FIRE after about a mile and a half. At least I got that done, but it’s so frustrating. I was getting back into shape and this injury has put me back where I was when I started. After that, it was just walking around base.Grandma’s party was great! Old friends and family showed up, we had a ton of good food, tons of picture taking (we’re Filipino, come on!) and conversing. We played foosball, air hockey and even busted out the mahjong table/set for a quick game. Then the real fun started! Manny Pacquiao fight! House full of varying generations of Filipinos and you’re bound to have a good time. Even the 70 year old Lola’s were putting in money to see what round Pacquiao would win!

Sunday (last day at home)… Day before Dad’s 50th birthday. Went to my parents house and took my dad to lunch so that my mom and sister could decorate the house and get all the guests inside and hiding. I tried to eat as SLOW as I possibly could to give them enough time haha. Get home and SURPRISE! It was a good party, he got a few awesome gifts and I had a nice nap at the end. Then my final goodbyes and back on my way to the Sacramento airport. Completely jam packed flight, a small nap interrupted by the lady behind me constantly pulling at my set, which in turn pulled my hair everytime, and then I was back in San Diego.

Had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Chad yesterday. The joints in my feet had in fact locked up again. He popped them/unlocked the joints once more, and hopefully it won’t need to be done. I’m off running for another week though. Even though this Saturday is supposed to be our 10 mile Trolley Run, he said to crosstrain the rest of the week, then try to run about 3 miles on Saturday and see how my legs feel. SHIN SPLINTS, PLEASE HURRY UP AND HEAL!! THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!! Went to TKB last night since spin class was full and HOLY HELL, it kicked my butt and every other body part. My ribcage is SORE. Tonight I’m going to try to go to spin class, but need to leave earlier this time!

The need is critical: An estimated 912,938 people in the United States are living with, or are in remission from, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma. Every 4 minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies.Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20. Lymphomas are the most common blood cancers and incidence increases with age.The survival rate for myeloma is only 37.1 percent. Incidence is nearly twice as high among African Americans as for all other races.